Biography:

Lael Caesar used to be a prophet when he was young. He knew for sure that he would never be like his a father, a Seventh-day Adventist minister. Okay. So he was a false prophet. That doesn�t mean he was a fraud. He had his reasons. So he studied Secondary Teacher Education at Caribbean Union College. It�s just that the Holy Spirit knew better. Besides, Lael eventually figured it was better not to fight his conscience. So he then studied theology and entered full time ministry more than three decades ago. Later he studied religion at Andrews University and Hebrew and Semitic Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

He�s served in the Caribbean, North and South America, Mexico, the Middle East, Russia and Western and Southern Africa. He gets a steady high from teaching young people, non-traditional students, whoever. It doesn't matter what they believe, about God or the hot place. Lael just loves his students--all students.

Current Research or Professional Activities:

SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS:

"Job in Eschatological Context," (festschrift, forthcoming)
"Hermeneutics and Culture," in Biblical Hermeneutics, Biblical Research Institute, GC of SDA (forthcoming)
"Studying Without Reading Proverbs: An Extra-Wisdom Analysis of the Term", DavarLogos 4.2 (2005) 131-147
Book Review: Steven J. Lawson, Job; Holman OT Commentaries. JETS 48 (2005) 627-28
"Job como un paradigma para el tiempo del fin," part 1, Kerygma (vol 3, no. 1) 2003, pp. 15-23
"Una nacion bajo Dios, indivisible," Pensar la iglesia hoy: hacia una eclesiologia adventista, Gerald A. Klingbeil, Martin G. Klingbeil, Miguel Angel Navez, eds, (Entre Rios, Argentina: Editorial Universidad Adventista del Plata, 2002), pp. 227-236
Book Review: Michael V. Fox, Proverbs 1-9: A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary; AUSS 40 (Spring, 2002) 144-146
"Hermeneutics, Culture & the Father of the Faithful", JATS 13/1 (Spring 2002) 91-114
"Why Am I Still an SDA?"  Papers of the Annual Meeting, Adventist Society for Religious Studies, (November 2000) 121-124
Book Review: Hill, Andrew E. Malachi: A New Translation with Introduction & Commentary; Anchor Bible Series, vol. 25D, AUSS 38 (2000) 328-330
Book Review: Hess, Richard S, & Gordon J. Wenham, eds., Make the Old Testament Live: From Curriculum to Classroom; AUSS 38 (2000) 327-328
"Bildad, Superior Rhetorician," Creation, Life, and Hope: Essays in Honor of Jacques B. Doukhan, ed. Ji Moskala (Berrien Springs, MI: OT Dept, SDA Theological Seminary, 2000) 127-138
"Job As Paradigm for the Eschaton," JATS 11/1-2 (2000) 148-162
"The Issue of Suffering: Nine Christian Responses," JATS 10/1-2 (1999) 73-89
"Job: Another New Thesis," VT 49:4 (October, 1999) 435-447
Book Review:  Stephen Breck Reid, Listening In: A Multicultural Reading of the Psalms; AUSS 37 (Spring, 1999) 144-146
Book Review: Peter Enns, Poetry & Wisdom; AUSS 37 (Spring, 1999) 111-113
Book Review: Elmer A. Martens, Old Testament Theology; AUSS (Spring, 1999) 131-133
"Servant Perceptions of Service", with Hinsdale Bernard.  Papers of the Annual Meeting, Adventist Society for Religious Studies, (November 1998) 109-117
"The Pain of Job's Conclusion: Curtis vs Crenshaw in View of Job 42:1-10," Proceedings, Eastern Great Lakes & Midwest Biblical Societies 18 (1998) 51-64
"Talking and Listening: Renewal Through the Pain of Dialogue (Job 42)."  Papers of the Annual Meeting, Adventist Society for Religious Studies, (November 1997) 16-23.
"Report on Survey of Attitudes Toward Biblical Archaeology Within African American Ministry".  Papers of the Annual Meeting, Adventist Society for Religious Studies, (November 1997) 93-97
Book Review:  David Wolfers, Deep Things out of Darkness; AUSS 35 (1997) 306-308
"Examining Validity:  The Bible as Text of History." Christ in the Classroom, vol. 16; (Institute for Christian Teaching, GC Education Dept., 1996) 1-19
Book Review:  Robert Alden, The New American Commentary:  Job; AUSS 33 (1995) 103-105

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS:

"Jesus in the Old Testament," in Jesus in the Bible, (IAD Publications, forthcoming)
"Teaching About God and Human Life," (JAE, forthcoming)
"Historicity & Scripture: Is the Bible a Credible Source of History?" in The Word of God for the People of God, Ron du Preez, Philip G. Samaan, Ron E. M. Clouzet, eds., (Collegedale, TN: School of Religion, Southern Adventist University, 2004), pp. 59-94
"Ministers and Ministry to the Poor," Ministry (November 2003) 20, 21
What If It Never Happened? Implications of Jesus' Resurrection," Adventist Review, April 24, 2003, pp. 24-27
"First Books and Last Things: What Did Job Believe About the Resurrection?", Ministry (February, 2003) 16-18
"Storms and Anchors," Adventist Review, NAD edition, September, 2000, pp. 8-11
"Integrity on Trial: A Case Study of Job", Ministry (April 2000) 10-13
"Job: Una tesis sobre la integridad," 2nd part, Ministerio Adventista (May-June, 2000) 26-30
"Job: Una tesis sobre la integridad," 1st part, Ministerio Adventista (July-August, 1999) 16-18
"Aprendizaje cooperativo en el aula de teologia: La experiencia mexicana."  Revista de educacion adventista (7:1997) 5-8.
"Les groupes d'etude en classe de theologie: l'experience mexicaine." Revue d'education adventiste (7:1997) 5-8.
"Cooperative Learning in a Mexican Seminary Classroom."  Journal of Adventist Education (Summer, 1997) 39-42
"La salud y la crisis final." Dinomica 17:1 (Nov-Dec, 1996) 3-7
"?Lleva Satan's la voz cantante? Dinomica 13:81 (1992) 27-31

LAY PUBLICATIONS:

"Miksi olen yha adventisti," Nykyaika 28-29, 2002
"Por que soy todavia un adventista del septimo dia," Revista Adventista, March, 2002, pp. 4-7.
"Implications of the Resurrection," Adventist Review (forthcoming)
"Why I'm Still a Seventh-day Adventist," Adventist Review, August 9, 2001, pp. 22-25
"El fundamento de la esperanza," Enfoque, April, 2001, pp. 21-23
Poetry: "Butterfly," "Moabitess," Parnassus, 2000
Poetry:  "To the Chief Musician:  Psalm 8." Adventist Review, NAD edition, April 2000, p. 43
"El mas grande de los orientales," Enfoque, October, 1999, pp. 4-6
"Como aprovechar el culto divino," Mundo Joven, July, 1999, pp. 12, 13
Poetry:  "Dedication to Alejandro."  Adventist Review, May 27, 1999, pp. 23-26
Poetry:  "The Greeting," "Homicide," "The Other Side," Parnassus, 1999
Poetry:  "To the Chief Musician:  Psalm 8." Adventist Review, April 29, 1999, p. 11
"Ir o no al cine." Mundo Joven, January, 1999, p. 11
"No huyas del hogar." Mundo Joven May, 1997, p. 11
"Bondades del ejercito." Mundo Joven, April, 1997, p. 11
"Iniciativa romantica." Mundo Joven, February, 1997, pp. 14, 15
Poetry:  "What the Mayor Thought," Parnassus, 1997, p. 15
Monthly magazine column, "En terreno biblico," Mundo Joven:
     "Dudas justas." (December, 1996) 11
     "?Mascotas inmundas?" (November 1996) 11
     "Ejercicio sabatico." (October, 1996) 11
     "Los que aman su venida." (September, 1996) 11
     "El sufrimiento." (August, 1996) 11
     "Disciplina: ?Una muestra de amor?" (July, 1996) 11
     "Verdura." (June, 1996) 11
     "Citas que confunden," part 2. (May, 1996) 11
     "Citas que confunden," part 1. (April, 1996) 11
     "Mis suelos se cumplen a veces." (March, 1996) 11
     "El juicio de los pintados." (February, 1996) 6
     "?Podemos tomarnos de la mano?" (January, 1996) 11
"Fooling Around With God's Seal." CQ (July-September, 1995) 101
"Holy Radicalism." CQ (April-June, 1994) 13.
"La Biblia: Un panorama historico." Encuentro teologico 2 (enero, 1993) 4-7
"Ha establecido un dia." Encuentro teologico 2 (enero, 1993) 12
Poetry: "The Circle: Anti-Protest." Equity 3, no. 1 (April 1987) 5

OTHER RESEARCH EFFORTS:

"Correlations Between Gospel Ministry & Biblical Archaeology."  A comparison of attitudes among various groups of pastors, biblical scholars, seminary professors and students, in the area of Biblical Archaeology".  January 1997 to present.  Grant awards--$8,000.00, Andrews University Office of Scholarly Research.
"An Archaeological History of the Ancient Near East."  A reexamination of the presuppositions which govern dating schemes in Palestinian archaeology.  University of Montemorelos research award, Spring 1995
Ph.D. dissertation: "Character in Job."  A study which aims to define the rhetorical personae of the major characters of the book of Job.  UW Madison, December 1991; advisor: Michael V. Fox
Graduate Research Paper:  "The Cairo Damascus Document:  A Review."  Winner of UW Madison Hebrew Studies Alumni Award, Spring, 1988
Research Assistant, Dept. of Hebrew & Semitic Studies, UW Madison: Assisted in research and writing of popular commentaries on books of Exodus & Leviticus, under Prof. Keith Schoville; prepared bibliography for departmental seminar on "Documents of the Judean Desert," for Prof. Michael V. Fox, Summer, 1987
M.A. thesis:  "The Meaning of Yayin in the OT."  AU, August, 1986; advisor, Richard Davidson